Should our candidates get elected to the school board, they will work towards safer schools by:
Asking hard questions of both the WCASD administration, as well as the district's lawyers.
Seek data from SROs (school resource officers) to help them understand the problems facing the district in terms of safety, and then use that data to find workable solutions.
Seek to understand how school safety issues are managed; from bullying to discipline to active shooter drills.
Champion transparency when possible so that parents can understand what is happening behind the scenes in relation to school safety. Parents should always learn about safety issues directly from the district and NOT from the internet/news outlet about an issue at their child's school.
For example, the Lunch and Learn period (also known as Golden Knight, Viking, or Warrior Block) students are permitted to leave campus. This brings up a number of safety issues, both within and outside of our school buildings.
Our candidates, if elected, would ask and seek answers from the WCASD administration on the following questions:
How is the district tracking which students leave the building during Lunch & Learn?
Does the district track where students are going during this period?
Does the school know which students leave on foot vs in a vehicle?
Are parents aware that their own child may be driving other students off campus during this time? What is the liability for families if a car accident occurs off campus?
Are parents aware that their own child may get into a vehicle (not their own) with other students to leave campus during this time? What is the liability for families if a car accident occurs off campus?
If the district is functioning in loco parentis when students leave campus for Lunch & Learn, what is the liability for the district if a car accident occurs during this time?
Who is permitted to enter the building at the conclusion of the Lunch & Learn period? How does the district know that each person who enters is in fact a WCASD student assigned to that school?
Our candidates have been told about reports of vandalism and shop-lifting at local businesses during Lunch & Learn due to the increased number of students leaving school during this time.
When students leave campus and local businesses require increased police presence as a result, this is no longer a WCASD problem, but a problem for the greater West Chester community.
We need to elect people to the board who will hold the school district administration responsible for the consequences of the Lunch & Learn program. The safety of our students and our community depends on it.
Have thoughts, questions, or concerns about Lunch & Learn? Send us an email, we want to hear from you!
PS: Don't forget to vote for our candidates by mail or in person on May 16!
Comments